It doesn't really matter if your boss is agreeable or not. What matters is what kind of agreement you signed. I bet your agreeable boss doesn't authorize in writing allowing you to work on other projects.
Matt Liotta President & CEO Montara Software, Inc. http://www.montarasoftware.com/ V: 415-577-8070 F: 415-341-8906 P: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > -----Original Message----- > From: Shawn Grover [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2002 12:18 PM > To: CF-Talk > Subject: RE: Intellectual property (was RE: programmer vs. developer) > > I'm in exactly that position. I volunteer my time to do the site for the > Avro Museum (www.avromuseum.ca) (shameless plug, I know...). > I apply a great deal of what I've learned at work to this site. So, > technically, my employer can make a case for "owning" that work. (oh, I'm > salaried too, with a clause in my contract saying the company owns ANY > code > I write). > > However, They knew when I was hired that I was working on this site. As > an > added bonus, a lot of the problems I've had to deal with for the web site > were directly applicable to my work as well. So in effect, they didn't > have > to pay the R&D time to resolve these problems. End result is that the > company benifits because I'm working on this site, and the Avro Museum > benifits because of the nature of my work. Nice trade off here. > > The catch is that my company is aware of my work, and knows that I am not > competing with them. Once they have any suspicion that I'm competing > (i.e. > If I start making money for my volunteer work...) then they have a > legitimate beef against me. But I don't let it get there - I talk to the > boss about anything that might be considered a conflict before undertaking > it, and he's normally very agreeable. > > My thoughts. > > Shawn Grover > > -----Original Message----- > From: Haggerty, Mike [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2002 11:42 AM > To: CF-Talk > Subject: RE: Intellectual property (was RE: programmer vs. developer) > > > Wow, that is restrictive! > > What if you wanted to work on a freelance project outside of work, maybe > for > charity or something. Does the company own that code and do you have it in > writing that they do? > > M > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2002 1:08 PM > To: CF-Talk > Subject: RE: Intellectual property (was RE: programmer vs. developer) > > > "little shops" don't really have an intellectual property agreement, but > none the less... their term of "everything you develop for us" is rather > broad in scope... some assume that it also covers off-hour times, some > assume that as a salaried employee, you're never 'off', you're just not at > your desk (e.g. You've been given permission to physically leave the > building). > > ~Todd > > > On Thu, 29 Aug 2002, Matt Liotta wrote: > > > You should have signed an intellectual property agreement when you were > > hired. It details you rights in this regard. As with all legal matters, > > you are advised to seek counsel from a professional. > > > > Matt Liotta > > President & CEO > > Montara Software, Inc. > > http://www.montarasoftware.com/ > > V: 415-577-8070 > > F: 415-341-8906 > > P: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2002 9:02 AM > > > To: CF-Talk > > > Subject: Intellectual property (was RE: programmer vs. developer) > > > > > > <quote> > > > "Finally, I think this expectation that most of us have about being a > > > programmer 24/7 demonstrates the relative immaturity of our field; > > after > > > all, it really should be just like any other job, instead of being a > > hobby > > > that you happen to get paid for. Sure, it's nice to enjoy your work, > > but > > > work is just one part of the life of a well-rounded person." > > > > > > Dave Watts, CTO, Fig Leaf Software > > > </quote> > > > > > > Dave, > > > > > > Curious question for you. To those of us that enjoy programming as a > > > hobby and actually do research on our own outside of work time. How > > does > > > intellectual property fit into this. The reason why I bring this up > > is > > > because well, due to the immaturity of most comapnies wanting their > > > developers to work 24/7, basically anything I concieve of is by right > > of > > > employment contract, theirs. In their eyes, a salaried employee is > > > something akin to a ... well... a wageslave. > > > > > > Take the little company I work for. They'd love it if I worked for > > them > > > 24/7. The partners would get a kick out of it, especially if they > > could > > > purchase another SUV within a few months. However, I have been > > hesitant > > > to hand over anything, but at times, I've had no choice due to the > > lack of > > > time they give me for a particular project. My methodology for > > example. > > > The project manager basically scoped out what he felt my co-worker and > > I > > > were developing, asked me to read this over and ... published it on > > the > > > intranet. At the same time, I'm thinking to myself, why did I just do > > > that? What did I gain from it? I got no recognition for it, I got > > > nothing. So, if I were to ever break away from my current job, I'd be > > > pretty screwed if they found out that I'm still using 'my' so called > > > methodology for future clients. > > > > > > I'm very concerned about the future and maturity level of the so > > called > > > "internet/development" companies out there. How does figleaf handle > > > creative ideas like this? > > > > > > Case in point, Branden Hall. I'm sure he cranks out actionscripting > > code > > > all day long and posts code left and right and handles what he can to > > help > > > people out. How does Figleaf distinguish between his intellectual > > > property and commercial value? Does Branden run every little script > > of > > > code over to someone at figleaf and ask for permission to release it? > > If > > > Figleaf uses his code that he wrote on his time, does he get > > compensated? > > > recognized? Does Figleaf automatically by default suck in his code > > into > > > their intellectual property library because it was used that one time? > > > > > > Just curious, > > > ~Todd > > > > > > -- > > > ============================================================ > > > Todd Rafferty ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) - http://www.web-rat.com/ | > > > Team Macromedia Volunteer for ColdFusion | > > > http://www.macromedia.com/support/forums/team_macromedia/ | > > > http://www.flashCFM.com/ - webRat (Moderator) | > > > http://www.ultrashock.com/ - webRat (Back-end Moderator) | > > > ============================================================ > > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ Signup for the Fusion Authority news alert and keep up with the latest news in ColdFusion and related topics. http://www.fusionauthority.com/signup.cfm FAQ: http://www.thenetprofits.co.uk/coldfusion/faq Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
